Beyoncé’s 'Cowboy Carter' Broke *Another* Record
“The best revenge is your paper…”
After a legendary closing night of the Cowboy Carter tour in Las Vegas, it’s been confirmed that Beyoncé broke a music record — again.
It’s no secret that Beyoncé is the greatest performer of our generation — but she boosts economies, too. When the icon was snubbed at the 2016 CMAs, she went into the studio and crafted the GRAMMY-winning album, Cowboy Carter. After the closing night in Las Vegas, it was confirmed that the 32-show tour earned $407.6 million USD. This makes CC ”the highest grossing country tour as she surpassed $400 million in earnings,” USA Today confirmed. This is after the “Beyonce Bowl” made history, pulling 27 million views, as the 2024 CMAs only pulled 6.08 million.
So, why is this so legendary? In 2016, Beyoncé performed with the Dixie Chicks at the CMAs and faced incessant racism. From celebrities sitting down in objection to her performance, to the racist headlines the next day, Beyoncé temporarily steered clear of the country scene.
That was until 2024, when she released Cowboy Carter. An album that provided a deep analysis of country’s history, including iconic hits, musicians and an introduction to the next generation — cue Shaboozey, Brittney Spencer and more. Shockingly, the album’s impact made its way to the NFL, the 2024 Olympics and beyond. But it wasn’t nominated for a single CMA. Shaboozey, whose 2024 single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is still breaking records, also wasn’t nominated for a single award.
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It gets worse, though. Amidst the Cowboy Carter tour, the GRAMMY Academy announced it would split its country music category into two: “Best Traditional Country Album” and “Best Contemporary Country Album.” This was also after claims that she would be snubbed for “Best Country Album” as many believe she couldn’t create a country album.
In true classy form, Beyoncé addressed the passion behind her country album in early 2025. The Houston-born shared on Instagram:
It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history. The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.
In other news, Beyhive thinks this Easter egg confirms Act III: the rock era.
